The goldfish is a freshwater fish and is one of the most commonly kept aquarium fish.

It is native to East Asia and was first selectively bred in ancient China more than a
thousand years ago. During the Song dynasty, when the selective domestic breeding
of goldfish had already been established, the empress ordered the construction of a
pond to house the red and gold variety of goldfish. At that time, those outside the
imperial family were forbidden to keep goldfish of the gold or yellow variety, as yellow
was the colour of royalty.
Outside of China, the goldfish became highly prized in southern Europe because of
their metallic scales in the 1620s. It became a tradition for men to give their wives a
goldfish on their first anniversary. This symbolized a prosperous future for the couple.
Elsewhere, the goldfish became popular in the United States after 1850.
Goldfish come in a variety of shapes and sizes. In April 2008, the largest goldfish,
residing in the Netherlands, was believed to have measured 48 centimetres, and in
July 2010, a goldfish measuring 41 centimetres was caught in a pond in England.
There are also many different kinds of goldfish, and there are a total of about 300
breeds in China. Centuries of selective breeding have produced several colour
variations of goldfish, some of them far removed from the original “golden” colour of
the fish.
Aside from the common goldfish variety, there are also other types of goldfish, such
as the Bubble Eye fish, which has no dorsal fin and has two large fluid-filled sacs
around its upward-pointing eyes, and the Ryukin fish, which has a short, deep body
with a characteristic shoulder hump.
Goldfish have good associative learning abilities and social learning skills. Their visual
acuity also allows them to distinguish between individual humans. Sometimes, owners
may notice that their goldfish will react favourably to them. The fish may swim to the
front of the tank, swim rapidly around the tank and even go to the water surface and
mouth for food.
The goldfish is omnivorous, feeding on both plants and small animals. In the wild, it
can eat crustaceans, insects and various plant matter. Overfeeding can be a problem
as they do not stop eating on their own accord, resulting in blocked intestines. This
happens often with selectively bred goldfish, as they have a convoluted intestinal tract.
Extra care is needed when looking after these types of fish.
Contrary to popular belief, a goldfish does not actually have a three-second memory.
Scientists have proven that goldfish can remember things for at least five months!
They can also distinguish between different shapes, colours and sounds. With some
training, goldfish can learn to recognise and react to certain signals or even perform
tricks.
Many people keep goldfish as pets. They are relatively cheap and take up little space.
But as with all other pets, taking care of a goldfish requires responsibility on the
owner’s part. With the proper care, goldfish can grow to become great companions,
and even a best friend!